Winter – that utterly gorgeous and beautifully perplexing season that calls out to something deep within our soul. It’s the season for bundling up in layers to ward off the chill. It’s the season for baring your face to bonfires. It’s the season for gloriously rich food and an abundance of produce. It’s the season of plenty, yet of starkness. It’s the season of sunny afternoons and dark, still evenings.

And it’s the season of ills.

The wildly fluctuating weather – sunny one minute, stormy the next – can play havoc on our bodies, laying us susceptible to the chills and bringing our natural immunity down. And that’s when home remedies come in – all the little nuskas and totkas that our grandmothers did to keep us warm and safe. Ammiji’s Winter Comfort is one such nuska.

The benefits of turmeric are widely documented. Pair that with magical home-ground dried ginger, throw in some herbs like tulsi, brahmi and ashwagandha and season the lot with spices which have their own benefits – and you’ve got a magical concoction, with manifold benefits.Here’s the list of ingredients and the effect each one of them will have on your body:

1. Turmeric: Ayurveda has acknowledged the medicinal properties of turmeric for centuries, and the western world is waking up to its benefits too now. The golden spice, as it is called, it contains curcumin, which has anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties. Remember the haldi-doodh you had as a kid? It was more for haldi than for milk. What’s more – turmeric is also an anti-depressant and promotes a sense of well-being.
2. Ginger: Ginger reduces inflammation, aids digestion, soothes the stomach and is particularly good for relieving a cold or cough. Do you really need another reason? We’ll give you one. Studies show that regular consumption of ginger also brings down the risk of cancer.
3. Jaggery – This natural sugar is a powerhouse of energy, sorely required in the colder months. It is also full of antioxidants and is a great in clearing the lungs of toxins, making it perfect to combat the effect of pollution on the body.
4. Tulsi – Remember your mother or grandmother telling you to have aadrak-tulsiwaali chai when you sneezed a couple of times? Well, tulsi is a known anti-allergen and fights off all sorts of infections. It is also good for keeping the respiratory tract healthy and clear.
5. Ashwagandha – Nowadays, quite a few fitness trainers recommend adding an ashwagandha supplement to your daily routine. This ancient Indian herb is a known vitality booster – increasing stamina, stabilizing moods and giving your brain a boost. It’s also great for reproductive health for men as well as women.
6. Brahmi – Again, anti-inflammatory, chock-full of antioxidants. Brahmi is a great tonic for the mind – it increase mental agility and prevents the onset of age-related mental conditions.
7. Black pepper: Kali mirchi is antibacterial and good for the digestive system. The piperine in it enhances your body’s ability to absorb nutrients – especially curcumin in turmeric – adequately.
8. Cinnamon –This wonder spice regulates blood sugar levels and is full of anti-oxidants. It works steadily to build up your immunity.
9. Green cardamom – Elaichi is good for the respiratory system and has essential nutrients.
10. Star anise – This fragrant spice is not only good for alleviating a cold, but is also helpful in settling a stomach.
11. Ajwain – This is that easily available, ever-present spice in our kitchens that has many benefits. It can treat a stomach ache, the common cold and even give you relief from pain.

Ammiji’s Winter Comfort is not only extremely beneficial but is also fragrantly refreshing. Here’s how to brew it:

In water – Add 1 teaspoon to 2 cups water. Boil till it reduces to 1 cup. Strain, add 1 teaspoon honey, and drink.
In milk – Add 1 teaspoon per cup. Boil for 2-3 minutes. Strain, add honey to taste and drink.

We lead stressful, busy lives. We’re supposed to be super-beings, managing to fit in a workout, a productive work routine, a satisfying home life and a scintillating social life into our daily routines. Oh, and we’re supposed to find time for self-care in all of that! While time is not a thing that can be manipulated, your response to the demands on your time certainly can be. An increased physical stamina and an augmented mental alertness can make all the difference to your daily routine and how satisfying you find it.

A daily dose of Ammiji’s Vitality Chai Masala means you get a few essential herbs and spices in – a totally natural way of upping your productivity throughout the day. This special blend has added benefits of Ashwagandha, Shatavari and Brahmi – all renowned Ayurvedic herbs that promise to boost your physical and mental stamina.

Ashwagandha – The king of ancient Indian medicinal herbs, Ashwagandha supplements are recommended by physical trainers to enhance stamina and strength during workouts. There’s also evidence that it may promote mass and muscle growth. But that’s not the end of the benefits for this superherb. It may lower cholesterol levels and regulate blood sugar. It also promotes fertility in men. And what’s more, regular intake of ashwagandha reduces stress, anxiety and fatigue levels. Now you see why we’ve added it to a chai masala that you can take safely every day?

Shatavari – Shatavari is great for the digestive and immune systems. It’s also great for female reproductive health. It boosts memory and keeps you active. It may have anti-cancer properties.

Brahmi – This ancient leafy herb is a documented brain tonic. It is full of anti-oxidants and boosts brain function. It prevents anxiety and stress and is great for the immune system too.

The fragrance of an ordinary home in the south of India, encapsulated in a jar…

 “We Punjabis, we can cook a brilliant dal. But no matter what we do, we can’t transform it the way a South Indian will make sambar,” Ammiji used to say whenever she ate sambar.

 We take Ammiji’s word as gospel. And that’s why we took the help of a dear friend, a seasoned South-Indian home-chef, when we were working on this recipe. Because who would know the secrets of the perfect sambar better than a person who cooks it everyday?

 Ammiji’s Sambar Masala is a beautiful blend of premium spices, spiked liberally with home-dried coconut and garlic. It’ll make you swoon over the sambar that comes out of your kitchen. It’ll remind you of coconut groves, of streets lined with tropical trees and of carts presided over by bossy, matronly women who serve homemade thatte idli and sambar with the same panache that they serve advice on your love life.

As with all our products, this masala contains only premium, hand-sorted spices. It also contains garlic and coconut that we grind and sun-dry ourselves. So it’s best to keep the jar refrigerated to extend the shelf life of the masala.

 To use: For every cup of dal, use about 1-1 ½  tbsp of the masala.

 Ingredients: Red Chilli, Cumin, Fenugreek, Black Pepper, Mustard seeds, Coriander seeds, Garlic, Coconut, Salt

 Weight: 150 gm

 Price: Rs 500 400

 Good For: 6 months.

 Contains no preservatives. Please keep refrigerated for a longer shelf life. Always use a clean, dry spoon.

The monsoon is here. And as the earth goes from a scorching, dusty ochre to a wet, iridescent emerald, we feel the need for touching base with all that’s warm, nourishing and energizing. Because summers are cruel in the subcontinent, and the rains bring with it the promise of brief intervals of respite.

But the monsoon also brings with it its own host of problems – problems that we can forget about while the raindrops cool us down, but which stare us in the face when the sun shows up again. Minor colds, nagging coughs, infections and more dangerous diseases mushroom out with the first touch of rain.

What you need then is natural immunity. And Ammiji’s Monsoon Magic offers you just that. Derived from ancient Ayurvedic wisdom, this mix of natural ingredients is the perfect tonic for the monsoon. The main ingredient of this tisane is Giloy – that wonder plant that in Sanskrit is referred to as ‘Amrita’ – the root of immortality. Giloy is a creeper that often grows on neem trees and in the past few years it has gained acclaim for being a successful combatant to the effects of dengue and chikangunya. Dried stems of the Giloy plant are powdered at home and then mixed with other ingredients to give you a concoction that is antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and anti-ageing.

So, cuddle up near a window when it’s raining outside and pour yourself a cup of Monsoon Magic. Watch the magic of the rain while you feel the warmth of Ammiji spread inside. (P.S. A good book and great music are the best accompaniments for this set-up;))

Ingredients and their Benefits:

Giloy – Also known as Guduchi, Giloy provides a tremendous boost to your immune system. It contains various antioxidants that fight free radicals in the body and have anti-ageing properties. It has a soothing effect on both the respiratory system and the digestive system. Apart from this, Giloy also reduces stress and anxiety and has been shown to be an effective supplement in the treatment of both diabetes and arthritis.

Turmeric – Who hasn’t heard about the various benefits of good, ol’ haldi? Turmeric is now being touted as a superfood the world over, but we Indians have known of its miraculous properties for centuries. And that’s why turmeric is used in so extensively in our cooking and homemade remedies. It has magical medicinal properties and when combined with Giloy, will have a miraculous effect on your system.

Lemongrass – Lemongrass is probably what a little corner of heaven smells like. Apart from its soothing fragrance, lemongrass relieves anxiety and soothes the digestive system. It is also known to lower cholesterol and boost the production of red blood cells in the body. It is a powerful herb to fight minor infections.

Tulsi/Holy Basil – Tulsi is revered in India. It is one of the most magical herbs we have and is well known for its effectiveness in curing cold and cough. It also combats minor aches and pains. Again, it is anti-inflammatory and contains powerful anti-oxidants.

Ashwagandha – Ayurvedic tomes are full of praises for this wonder drug. It not only increases vitality, but also energizes your entire system. It is anti-cancer properties too.

Amla – Indian gooseberry, that powerhouse of Vitamin C, plays a vital role in boosting your immunity. It is also effective in aiding digestion and cools your digestive system down. Amla is also a well-known anti-ageing agent.

Apart from these main ingredients, Ammiji’s Monsoon Magic also contains Fennel, Black Pepper, Ginger, Green Cardamom, Cinnamon, Star Anise and Jaggery. Each of them play an important role in gearing your body up to deal with this fickle season’s vagaries.

How to Brew: 

Add 1 heaped teaspoon to about 1 and a half cups of water. Put the pan to boil and let it boil till water has reduced to a little less than a cup. Strain and drink in the warmth. You can also add some raw honey if you like your tisane a little sweeter.

A beautifully fragrant set of spice blends that will take your coffee to the next level. Add a touch of drama, a soupçon of romance and a pinch of health to your daily cuppa!

 The aroma of freshly made coffee has the power to instantly transport you. It’ll make you glide into a Parisian bistro with elan, throwing out a bonjour as nonchalantly as you throw out a mysterious smile. It’ll make you tiptoe into a musty old bookshop in a small, crowded Bangalore market, the wisdom of centuries slowly seeping into your bones. It’ll make you sit at a bright, sunlit café in an anonymous city, and it’ll lift your spirit till you notice the small things that actually matter. Now imagine amplifying that aroma. Imagine adding subtle notes to it so that the first romance of coffee becomes the only love affair you’ll ever need. Imagine being transported further still in the getaway that plain coffee offered you at first…

 Okay, we could go on and on and make a whole Inception-like scenario here. But that’s the power of coffee when enhanced with Ammiji’s Coffee Spice.

 Coffee is the brain-fuel, the morning wake-me-up, the evening shake-me-up and the anytime romance that we all need in our lives. And what does coffee need? Just a pinch of Ammiji’s Coffee Spice to take it from a tepid romance to a wild, knock-your-socks-off full-blown love affair!

 Ammiji’s Coffee Spice Sampler Box contains four tiny, powerful jars. They’re named after the 4 seasons – not because they’re meant for those seasons, but because the aroma of them evokes the emotions of that particular season.

We have worked on these blends for almost a year, exploring the flavour profiles of a host of flowers, herbs and spices, and coming up with some very unconventional and some very classic combinations. All our Coffee Spice blends contain ingredients that are handpicked. All are meant to add value to your coffee. All of them have their individual health benefits and promise to transport your cup of coffee into something other than a mere pick-me-up.

 Spring

 Early spring, when the ground is still dark and mulchy. The earthy, addictive fragrance of damp mud juxtaposed with the fresh, heady aroma of garden flowers that have just started blooming. The promise of warmth, of newness and of untold delights that lie in wait ahead.

 Ammiji’s Spring Coffee Spice captures this and more with its unique blend of flower and herb, lemon and liquorice. Cardamom and rosemary add a slightly exotic, old-school touch to it while the floral undertones imparted by lavender are accented by lemon. Star anise and its sharp sweetness bring everything together to make a blend that brings to mind fresh leaves, flowers, mud, and sunshine.

 Ingredients: Star Anise, Cardamom, Lavender, Lemon, Rosemary

 Summer

 Summer in full bloom. Heat and dust. Ice-cream and long, cool drinks. That longing for a cool breeze and that craving for tang. The connection with the earth that suddenly seems cooler than the sky. That impatient wait for any hint of a cloud on the horizon. The fulfilment of spring’s promise and the belief that there are still better things around the corner. The aroma of fruit laden trees and flower laden shrubs. All this and more…in Ammiji’s Summer Coffee Spice.

 This blend has a decidedly citrusy orange note, accentuated with refreshing ginger and fennel. Avarampoo flowers, known for their ability to prevent dehydration, are added for a subtle floral note. And overlaying it all, there’s gorgeously nostalgic vanilla.

 Ingredients: Fennel, Ginger, Avarampoo, Orange, Vanilla.

 Autumn

 The dust has given way to the monsoon, which in turn has given way to a revived, lush earth. Festivity and joy thrums in the air. The smell of smoke and of spice permeates into our sub conscience. The air turns pleasant, bringing with it the urge to celebrate everything – life, family, friends, ourselves. And food, glorious food, becomes an indulgence once again.

 Think pumpkin pies, apple turnovers and spiced teacakes. Think cinnamon and nutmeg and cloves. Because that’s exactly what this blend contains. A highly fragrant mix of cinnamon, nutmeg and clove, layered with ginger and allspice berries. The end result is heady and warm. And addictive.

 Ingredients: Cinnamon, Ginger, Nutmeg, Allspice, Clove.

 Winter

 Freezing winds. Warm woollens. Cold noses. Hot spice. Winter is a study in contrasts. From snuggling up in front of a fireplace, to opening up a window to let the cool air in. From a delicious mug of hot chocolate on a cold, winter night to the crunch of cold carrots and radishes on a sunny winter afternoon.

 And that’s why our Winter Coffee Spice has a pinch of bright cayenne pepper thrown into a warming blend with heavy, chocolate tones. Raw cacao nibs, with their immense health benefits, form the base of this blend. Mace, cinnamon and star anise lend the subtly pervasive warmth while the pepper adds that dash of contrasting heat.

 Ingredients: Cinnamon, Star anise, Cacao nibs, Cayenne pepper, Mace.

 How to Use

 Add a pinch of Ammiji’s Coffee Spice to your cup of coffee while brewing it. A pinch is all that is required to give it flavour and fragrance.

You can use these spice blends in your chai too! Or in cakes, puddings, pies…whatever takes your fancy! Ammiji’s Coffee Spice is a versatile spice blend; how you use it is up to you!

 Note: These are jars of potent spice blends. They do not contain any coffee.

 Store the jars in a cool place, away from direct sunlight.

 Contents: 4 jars of Ammiji’s Coffee Spice; each jar contains 12 gm.

 Price: Rs 850

Food is that thread that brings it all together. It doesn’t matter what season it is, or how small an occasion it is – when you have good food on the table, you’re more blessed than you realize. Food is happiness – it’s the delightful dash and dot at the end of an exclamation. It has the power to create good memories or to help obliterate bad ones. Food is life. And when you give the gift of food, you’re gifting pure joy. 

Keeping that in mind, we’ve curated a set of Gift Boxes for you. Give them as gifts, or order a combination for yourself to save money! Each box will contain 4 jars, filled with Ammiji’s delicious goodness. And the gift box itself is an elegant, reusable box made of solid wood that will last you a long time and be useful in myriad ways.

Go on. Gift joy 🙂

Ammiji’s Immunity Box is that simultaneous gift of love and health. Nothing could be more meaningful in the current scenario than gifting a shot of good health to a loved one. Make your gift count – show them how much you care about them with this box of natural remedies. This Gift Box contains the following:

1. Chai Masala – Immunity: (75 gm) Ammiji’s famous Chai Masala, with powerful immuno-boosting herbs. Fragrant and delicious.
2. Chyawanprash: (200 gm) The age-old Ayurvedic tonic, made at home with jaggery, figs and dates.
3. Immunity Kaadha: (90 gm) The catch-drink right now. Specially targets the respiratory system. One of our best-sellers.
4. Amla Chutney: (200 gm) Your daily dose of Vitamin C, in a lip-smackin’ avatar.